An Open Letter to Netflix: Thanks for the Quarantine Gift of Zac Efron’s Abs

Oh, hey there, Netflix!

I’d ask how you’re doing during this pandemic, but according to all accounts, you’re doing pretty well. That’s because four or so months into the dumpster fire that is the COVID-19 crisis, watching Netflix is just about the only game in town for those of us staying home in order to stay safe.

While I appreciated the Tiger King diversion and blew through every comedy special Netflix has to offer, I’ll admit I was close to social distancing from my Netflix queue after feeling like there was nothing new left for me to watch while spending another endless day at home. And then, like a gift from God, Zac Efron stepped in. And by Zac Efron, I actually mean Zac Efron’s abs.

Thank you, Netflix.

Thank you, Zac.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and speak for the moms of America when I say that we aren’t bored to tears, we are bored out of our ever-loving minds. We haven’t just spent 24/7 with our children for months on end, we’ve spent 24/7 for months on end with our husband, too.

And while we love our husbands and kids, my god, every time we turn around one of them is asking us for a snack, to break up a fight, to watch the same movie we watched for the past 30 “Family Movie Nights,” or to talk about our day. You know what happened to us today, Netflix? Nothing! That’s because nothing is open and we have nowhere to go but to the TV room.

Thankfully, Zac Efron kindly decided he wanted to educate the world about the environment with his travel/eco-friendly show Down to Earth with Zac Efron. And thankfully, during some of those episodes, Zac plays hero and takes off his shirt. Honestly, Netlfix, I’m not too proud to admit that I’ve occasionally watched Down to Earth on pause, sound off.

And let’s be clear, I’m not the only one.

That’s because Zac’s abs are just the diversion we moms need right now. It’s not that we’re objectifying Zac. We think he’s talented and loved him in everything from High School Musical to Hairspray — which thanks to this virus, we’ve watched over 207,000 times with our children — but quarantining is particularly challenging for mothers. We’ve earned Zac Efron’s abs. It’s like Zac is our reward for having to binge-watch Paw Patrol and for all the times our kids won’t even let us use the restroom without company.

So, Netflix, thanks for educating us about sustainability. And thanks for making this quarantine sustainable by giving us the occasional thirsty, pause-worthy shot of Zac.

And Zac, on behalf of all quarantined mothers, thank you for your service.

Sincerely

Thank you so much

XO

Call me,

Meredith